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UK
Vascular access management is the comprehensive category of products, solutions and services providing a continuum of vascular access care, from patient assessment to device removal, designed to reduce vascular-related complications.
Our fight against vascular access complications never stops
Our Champions of Change program is advocating for better vascular access care
Vascular access can be complex. In addition, variations in practice and lack of standardisation, can lead to complications and IV catheter failures. BD PosiFlush™ saline syringes offer the smarter route to patient safety...
Visit our online catalogue for more information about our vascular access offering
Every vascular access patient's journey is unique and full of variables:
Intravenous therapy is so common that it may be easy to forget there is potential for harm. Complications may arise when placing a vascular access device, ranging from infectious and thrombolitic, to mechanical and more. These complications are a major cause of vascular access device premature failure. By better understanding the potential for risk, you can be better prepared to protect patients from IV complications.
Learn more about some of the vascular access-related complications that can occur >>
BD can help assess VAM practices and potential areas for improvement in your facility >>
A catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) is when the catheter is identified as the source of the infection.2* Signs and symptoms to look for include erythema; edema; any pain or tenderness or drainage and/or fever.2** There are extraluminal and intraluminal areas that could be potential spots for contamination, leading to CR-BSIs from risk of breaking asepsis during insertion or care and maintenance; seeding bacteria from another site of infection; and ingress of bacteria due to non-intact dressing or suboptimal insertion site.3*
Learn more about some of the vascular access-related complications that can occur >>
BD can help assess VAM practices and potential areas for improvement in your facility >>
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S204.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S154.
3*. Safdar N, Maki DG. Int Care Med. 2004; 30(1): 65.
When a catheter is blocked, this can either prevent infusion or injection of solution into a catheter, aspirate blood from a catheter, or both.2* Signs and symptoms to look out for include sluggish flow and/or blood return, inability to withdraw blood, flush and/or infuse through the catheter, frequent occlusion alarms on an electronic infusion device, and infiltration or extravasation or swelling and/or leaking at the infusion site.2** Occlusions may be caused by multiple factors, including allowing an infusion to run dry, improper flushing, infusing incompatible medications, or employing an improper clamping sequence.2**
Learn more about some of the vascular access-related complications that can occur >>
BD can help assess VAM practices and potential areas for improvement in your facility >>
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S210.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S150.
Catheter movement into or out of the insertion site indicating tip movement to a suboptimal position.2* Signs and symptoms include the inability to continue infusion, increased external catheter length since previous assessment and leakage at insertion site. Additionally, if the catheter moves out of the vein but not the skin, it can result in edema, pain, changes in skin color and even progress to blistering and ulceration.2** Risk factors to consider include poor site selection, loosening of the catheter due to inadequate stabilization and lack of proper securement, as well as patient manipulation such as arm or body movement.2†
Learn more about some of the vascular access-related complications that can occur >>
BD can help assess VAM practices and potential areas for improvement in your facility >>
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S204.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S143.
2†. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S165.
Inflammation of a vein2* could be evident by pain and tenderness, erythema, warmth, swelling and redness at the catheter site.2** There are multiple chemical, mechanical and bacterial issues that could be the cause. These include use of irritating solutions, not allowing skin antisepsis to dry, inadequate hemodilution, improper catheter size or stabilization techniques, breaks in aseptic technique or non-occlusive dressing.2**
Learn more about some of the vascular access-related complications that can occur >>
BD can help assess VAM practices and potential areas for improvement in your facility >>
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S211.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S138.
Infiltration occurs when a nonvesicant solution or medication is inadvertently administered into tissue surrounding the catheter site, whereas extravasation occurs when the solution or medication is vesicant.2* When this occurs, the patient may suffer from edema, pain, changes in skin color and fluid leakage from the catheter insertion site, additionally extravasation may progress to blistering and ulceration.2** A myriad of issues may cause infiltration or extravasation, including inappropriate insertion site, inadequate stabilization, difficult access history, medications that alter pain sensation, disease that produces change in vasculature, use of deep veins with insufficient catheter length, and the inability of the patient to report their symptoms.2†
Learn more about some of the vascular access-related complications that can occur >>
BD can help assess VAM practices and potential areas for improvement in your facility >>
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S206, S207.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S143.
2†. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2021; 44(1S): S142.
Calculate the potential costs of complications
On average, Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections (CR-BSIs) cost €11,219 per patient occurrence4*
Calculate the cost of CR-BSIs in your facility
Calculate the cost of CLABSIs in your facility:
Calculate the cost of PIVC restarts in your facility:
As a clinician, you’re often tasked to perform one of the most common invasive procedures—placing a vascular access device. With the right training and knowledge, you may potentially reduce vascular access complications and improve patient outcomes. And we’re here to help, every step of the way.
Success in vascular access care and improving patient outcomes
requires strong collaborations.
You are a caregiver whose role is to provide patients with a positive experience and the best possible care.
When placing IVs in difficult to access locations, multiple attempts can be stressful and impact the patient experience.
Staying up to date on current evidence-based practices in vascular access as healthcare continues to evolve rapidly.
Finding targeted continuing education resources quickly that meet your developmental needs.
You are a clinical decision-maker whose role requires rapid pairing of patient IV therapy needs with the right vascular access devices.
Delays in patient treatment can affect efficiencies, so you need staff to be confident in gaining and maintaining vascular access in patients.
Changes in science and technologies require you to stay up to date on the latest information for optimal patient care.
Changes in staff or frequent turnover can create variation and gaps between best practices and current practice.
You are the leader responsible for key imperatives that enhance employee engagement, while improving operational, financial and clinical outcomes.
Finding and tracking gaps in vascular access clinical practice that may be negatively making an impact on patient experience and/or economic outcomes.
Arming your team with on-demand training and education resources in a fast-paced industry where clinical practice continues to evolve.
My BD Learning for additional training and educational resources
With our help, you may see improvements in clinical outcomes with BD products, such as reduction in blood exposure during insertion, increased average dwell time of peripheral IVs and decreased vascular access complications, additionally, your facility could benefit from economic efficiencies with enhanced protocols and best practices.
You can't see how far you've come unless you know where you began. Our experienced clinical experts will perform a comprehensive assessment of clinical practice across your facility, leveraging proprietary digital tools, which will help in developing insightful data.
Once completed, we'll provide a detailed, actionable road map to help you standardize
and align best practice standards across the vascular access continuum.
Request an assessment
Clinical practice assessment
a. Interviews
b. Direct observations
Action plan to improve where gaps identified
Since we are a global leader in vascular access devices, you can be confident that the products you are using are engineered to the highest quality and safety standards, backed by years of development and healthcare use. Our goal is to help you provide the best possible care at every step in the vascular access continuum.
Our clinical teams collaborate with your facility's leadership to develop curricula that addresses your unique BD product training needs, while supporting evidence-based policies and procedures. With a solid educational program in place, you can maintain best practices, which leads to repeatability and sustainability for continuity.
BD-78617 (Jan/2023)